#fire and blood timelines

[horizon-verizon]

Timeline #1

Viserys' death (52 yrs old)

("A Question of Succession" -- F&B)

("The Blacks and the Greens" -- F&B)

the third day of the third moon of 129 AC

03/03/129 A.C. [let's pretend it's March]

Aegon's Coronation Day

("The Blacks and the Greens" -- F&B)

the tenth day of the third moon of 129 AC

03/10/129 A.C.

Rhaenyra's Labors Begin

("The Blacks and the Greens" -- F&B)

tidings from KL had driven the princess into a black fury, and her rage seemed to bring on the birth

AND

in her third day of labor

So if Rhaenyra is reacting to the coronation, which would have taken, at most, maybe 5 days to travel to Dragonstone:

c.03/10 to 3/15/129 A.C.

First Black Council

("The Blacks and the Greens" -- F&B)

the next day [...] And so the Dance began

c.3/15 to 3/20/129 A.C.

*After Jaehaerys' Death, Cole advised to send Arryk Cargyll after Rhaenrya & her sons, Cole also leads attacks against Lord Staunton's Rook's Rest. Specific Dates Unknown*

Rhaenys' Death (55 yrs old)

("The Red Dragon and the Gold" -- F&B)

for we know that nine days after Lord Staunton dispatched his plea for help, the sound of leathern wings was heard across the sea, and the dragon Meleys appeared above Rook’s Rest. The Red Queen, she was called, for the scarlet scales that covered her. The membranes of her wings were pink, her crest, horns, and claws bright as copper. And on her back, in steel and copper armor that flashed in the sun, rode Rhaenys Targaryen, the Queen Who Never Was.

and the semi-official wiki for the Battle at Rook's Rest is "late 126"

*Specific Date, still, Unknown...BUT I'd guess Rook's Rest was--if we rely on the semi official site, knowing that a Westerosi year has 12 months and depending on what "late" constitutes...

c.10/1/129 - 12/?/129 A.C.*

Aegon and Viserys Prepared for Pentos

("The Red Dragon and the Gold" -- F&B)

In the waning days of 129 AC, the young princes boarded the cog Gay Abandon—Aegon with Stormcloud, Viserys clutching his egg—to set sail for Essos.

*again, depends on what you'd consider "late"; I'd guess: c.12/25/129-12/30/129 A.C.*

Jacaerys' Death/Battle of the Gullet

("The Red Dragon and the Gold" -- F&B)

In the early morning hours of the fifth day of the 130th year since Aegon’s Conquest, battle was joined.

01/01/130 A.C.

Rhaenyra & Daemon Take KL

("The Red Dragon and the Gold" -- F&B)

The queen would have none of it, however. Only the gods truly know the hearts of men, and women are full as strange. Broken by the loss of one son, Rhaenyra Targaryen seemed to find new strength after the loss of a second. Jace’s death hardened her, burning away her fears, leaving only her anger and her hatred. Still possessed of more dragons than her half- brother, Her Grace now resolved to use them, no matter the cost.

Again, no specific date, so I'd guess this happened at most a week or two after Jacaerys' death:

c. 01/04/130 A.C. - 01/18/130 A.C.

[canon-gabriel-quotes]

Transcript:

No... How can this be?

Daddy’s favorite wine sippy cup...

Now I’m going to have to drink it out of the box like a fucking animal!

You’ve taken everything from me, Machine.

And now we’re going to get drunk together.

That’s right, the only way to repay me for your sins and the breaking of my favorite wine glass, is to finish off this box of wine with me!

And we’re going to have conversations that we think are deep only because we're drunk off our asses.

And by dawn's light, who knows, maybe enemies will be turned into…

EVEN STRONGER FUCKING ENEMIES I’M GOING TO KILL YOU.

Audio source

[atopvisenyashill]

Thoughts on the Alysanne is Maegor's daughter AU? I feel like it has some interesting potential, and it vastly recontextualizes different parts of Jaehaehae (I do not like him sjsjsjs) and Alysanne's relationship (such as Jaehaehae's treatment of their daughters) but I wanna hear what you think about it!

I’ve touched on this a bit before but since you actually want to hear my thoughts, allow me to present to you my Jaehaerys Is The Goddamn Worst, And Alysanne Annoys Me Too: An Essay lmao but my answer is basically “yeah all of what you just said.”

I think it makes Alysanne much more palatable (to me) as a character because as she stands, she just fixates on forcing her daughters through these fucked up marriages at too young an age bc it traumatized her to be married and pregnant at 15 too but she’d never admit that being a willing participant in her own kidnapping by her brother-husband was the single worst thing that ever happened to her, and because Alysanne doesn’t want to admit it (and Jaehaerys would never see it as wrong or a mistake) F&B really shies away from delving into the fact that Alysanne is as deranged of a mother as Cersei is. So as she stands, she’s very flat to me because she’s presented very flatly and inconsistently. She’s so in love with Jaehaerys, she’s maritally raped by Jaehaerys, she’s a loving and doting mother, she forces her daughters into marriages when they’re the same too young age she was, she accuses her teenage girls of being scheming whores then gets angry when her husband accuses their teenage girls of being scheming whores, and worst of all we are just told “Maegelle tells them to make up so they do” so we don’t know why Alysanne gets over all of this. What is the point of riding a dragon when you never use that dragon to protect your daughters from unwanted teen marriages? We’re just not given a good enough justification for why her behavior is so weird and frustrating towards her daughters.

Make her Maegor’s daughter though…most of her behavior as an adult makes more sense. Like a worse version of Rhaenyra’s childhood almost - a father desperate for a son, but lowkey obsessed with his daughter, who makes all his hang ups about his parents the problems of every woman around him, except Maegor is out here blood sacrificing and torturing and starting wars and forcing babies on wives he discards quickly and brutally. Then here comes Jaehaerys on a white horse green dragon to save her from the horror her life has become, and he loves her so much he runs away with her even though Alyssa says they shouldn’t marry because people won’t like it. And they have beautiful children, and a beautiful marriage, and build a beautiful kingdom.

Then her pregnancies start getting dangerous. Gaemon, then Valerion, die. Alysanne thinks of the shriveled up mutants she called brothers, if Maegor’s taint has passed to her. Her perfect husband ignores her no, and forces Gael on her. Alysanne remembers that he said nothing to Rogar when Alyssa died, merely wept. Then her daughters start to die. Daella, Alyssa, Viserra, all within a few years. Then Jaehaerys makes Saera watch as he murders her boyfriend, calls her a whore, and says Alysanne cannot follow Saera to Lys. Alysanne thinks of Maegor torturing the Harroways over Alys’ presumed infidelity. Jaehaerys says he’s sorry, and her daughter badgers her into forgiving him, and she remembers how she helped Jaehaerys badger Alyssa into forgiving Rogar. Not two years later, Jaehaerys passes over Rhaenys. Alysanne thinks of how she was never enough for her father, how she felt so superior to Rhaena banished to Dragonstone and resented by Aerea, yet there she is dragging Gael away from court because she can’t stand to be with Jaehaerys. How her father was surrounded by dead women and dead babies and how Jaehaerys is surrounded by his own dead daughters, but surely she did the right thing, surely Maegor was worse, surely the realm is better off? Is he right to pass over Rhaenys? Is she enabling a man just as monstrous as her father? She will never decide, because Maegelle will guilt her about keeping Gael isolated at Dragonstone, and Alysanne will do as she’s told, just like Rhaena, and Alyssa, and Jeyne, Elinor, Ceryse, Alys, and Tyanna, just like every one of her daughters.

I do get why Alysanne is Alyssa & Aenys’ and not Maegor’s. The weird Targ babies, the line not descending from Visenya, Jaehaerys and Alysanne being held up as the perfect Targaryen couple specifically because they are brother and sister and dragon riders. I do even think canon Alysanne is likely traumatized by her time as a hostage on Dragonstone, and the ensuing war, and the trauma bond that caused with Jaehaerys, and it makes her idolize Jaehaerys, and then he isolates her at Dragonstone so he can swiftly and safely marry, groom, and knock her up. It’s not like,,,, a fun time, and it’s enough to make anyone crazy and weird about their daughters, but I think having her father be Maegor makes Alysanne herself much deeper because it gives her, as the most beloved Targaryen queen, a blood tie to the most hated Targaryen king, and a marriage to the most beloved Targaryen king. It fits better with a lot of the themes of the main series (again, imo) - forcing the spotlight on the outsiders to see how the affect the story from behind the scenes. The fall of Aegon’s sons, and The Long Reign, not told from the PoV or to serve the PoV of any of the kings or princes, but of the queen that tied them all together.

[blackcat419]

Rewriting HotD: Plot breakdown of Fire and Blood the Dance of the Dragons

Part 1: 101 A.C. To 129 A.C.

The following is an in depth plot breakdown of F&B where character moments, plot beats, difference in sources, and missing details will all be analyzed and possible solutions proposed. The timeline will start in 101 A.C. with the first great council as where the seeds of the dance were thoroughly sowed and watered to the death of Jaehaera in 133 A.C.

This is the first part of my rewriting HotD series. The next part will talk more about character arcs and expanding on them using the enneagram as a jumping off point.

Page numbers will be cited from my copy of fire and blood the 2022 Trade Paperback Tie-in Edition.

Legend

Bold for the year

Italic for character moments

Blue for Orwyle’s account

Purple for Munkun’s A True Telling

Green for Septon Eustace’s The Reign of King Viserys

Red for Mushroom’s The Testimony of Mushroom

Orange for rumors that have no source

Pink for minor sources where their credibility and bias will be discussed when they come up

(Parenthesis) will be used when I deem it necessary to comment on the story either about the plot or how the fandom views the story.

[brackets] will be used for when I want to add real world historical context.

Where Gyldayn does not identify which source he is using or which sources disagree with eachother, it will be assumed that all sources agree with each other.

Biases of sources

While each source is biased towards one claimant over another, this is too simple of an understanding of these sources. Each source is pushing their own understanding of the world, either implicitly or not.

Orwyle wrote his account after being arrested by Cregan Stark and thrown into the black cells. He served as Grand Maester after the death of Mellos in 217, was thrown in the black cells when Rhaneyra took KL in 130, released by Ser Perkin later that year, he was then imprisoned again in 131 by Cregan where he wrote his accounts, he escaped and was re-imprisoned and continued writing his account, and he was later executed in 133. His bias is based in trying to save his own life by appealing to Cregan and trying to show he wasn’t a traitor. So while biased towards Rhaenyra, he’s biased towards making himself look as best as possible with motivations of saving his own life. He’s a primary source from his stationing as Grand Maester till Rhaenyra takes Kings landing and from when Rhaenyra flees Kings Landing and he’s re-imprisoned by Cregan. While Orwyle is imprisoned, he can only be a second hand source at best.

Munkun bases his work on the writings of Orwyle and takes up the position of Grand Maester in 131 when Cregan removed Orwyle. Munkun uses a lot of Orwyle’s sources but because Orwyle is currently writing his own account, I believe Munkun is using his Maester notes which could be less biased as Orwyle wasn’t writing them to help save his own life. Munkun also had access to Orwyle to talk about his recollection of the war. Munkun is a second hand source for anything happening before 131 and only a first hand source for Kingslanding after 131.

Eustace wrote his work after the war. He served as septon to the red keep from Viserys’ death until Aegon III’s reign and his dismissal by Unwin Peake. The Sept has been in conflict recently with the Targaryens leading to the dissolution of the faith militant and the implementation of Targaryens exceptionalism doctrine. Eustace can be seen as biased against the Targaryens in general because of this conflict. Eustace also shies away from salacious accounts, he doesn’t like Rhaenyra, and thinks Northmen are savage. He is a first hand source for much of what happens in the red keep.

Mushroom’s account was written down by an unknown author and covers Mushroom’s time as a fool for King Viserys and later Princess Rhaenyra. Mushroom was in Kings Landing as fool for King Viserys until 113 when he left with Rhaenyra for dragon stone, he returns in 126 with Rhaenyra to Kings Landing but leaves before Viserys’ death in 129, he returns in 130 when Rhaenyra takes Kings Landing, he remains in Kings Landing when Rhaenyra flees, he remains in Kingslanding until Manfryd Mooton travels to Braavos to escape the gloom of the red keep. Mushroom is first and foremost an entertainer and tells his story to entertain instead of inform. He is biased towards Rhaenyra as her fool but he is more biased towards a fun and salacious story. He’s a first hand source for Kingslanding until 113, a bit after 126, and after 130 till he leaves for Braavos. In the times in between he’s a firsthand source for Dragonstone and at best a second hand source for Kings landing.

101 A.C. The First Great Council

Otto arrives at Kings Landing with his wife and children, Alicent becomes the constant companion of King Jaehaerys, and Jaehaerys mistakes her for his daughter Seara pg. 351

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Alicent: Alicent is described caring for the king like a personal care assistant would do in modern times.

(The word ‘precocious’ is used to describe 15 year old Alicent here and many have taken it to mean she was sexually developed and sleeping with Jaehaerys. I disagree as precocious means quickly developing but is not exclusive to sexual development. Because it’s quickly followed by descriptions of Alicent assisting Jaehaerys as a live in care person, I believe this is meant to show that Alicent is more mature mentally and is taking on the caretaker role earlier than she is expected to.)

103 A.C. The king is dead, long live the king

Jaehaerys dies while Alicent reads Barth’s ‘Unnatural History’, his body is burned and entered on Dragonstone, and women reportedly tore their garments in Dorne. [the act of tearing ones garments from their body was seen as a way to mourn in ancient times. Cleopatra reportedly rendered her garments when she learned that Anthony attempted suicide.] pg. 351-2

Viserys ascends the throne, Aemma has already suffered multiple miscarriages and lost a boy shortly after birth, Rhaenyra is 6. Pg. 352

The practice of placing eggs in cradles is picked back up around this time and many dragons are hatching in the dragon pit. Pg. 352

Criston first comes to notice at the melee at Maidenpool where he defeated Daemon, gave Rhaenyra the laurel and asked for her favor, and unhorsed the cargyll twins in the joust. pg 358-9

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Viserys: Described as generous, amiable nature, and well loved by lords and smallfolks. Pg 352

Viserys & Aemma: host lots of feasts and tourneys and lavish gold, offices, and honors on their favorites. Pg 354

Otto: described as proud, brusque (curt), and haughty. The longer he served the more power he gained. Pg 354

Daemon: Ambitious, impetuous, moody, charming, hot-tempered, bored by Rhae Royce, the Vale, and governing. Pg 354

Rhaenyra: precocious, bright, bold, and beautiful. Pg 354

(Precocious is also used to describe Rhaenyra here and I believe it’s meant to draw a parallel between our two leads. Both are smarter than their years)

104 A.C. Rhaenyra Takes Flight

Rhaenyra: becomes a dragon rider at age 7. Syrax is a claimed dragon, not a cradle egg. She’s bold and dragon-riding at a very early age. Pg 354

105 A.C. Heir for a day

Viserys announces that Aemma is pregnant again. She dies giving birth to a son named Baelon who dies shortly after Pg 358-9

Criston Cole is appointed to the kingsguard at age 23 pg 358

Lyonel Strong is invited by Viserys to Kings landing and brings his 4 kids, his two daughters become Rhaenyra's hand maidens, Harwins joins the gold cloaks, and Larys joins the king's confessors. Pg 359

Observed but by who? Daemon is seen saying 'Heir for a day' while drunk in the street of Silk. The book gives us two sources for the rumon, the sex worker sitting on Daemon's lap or one of his drinking buddies. Why would his friend or someone he pays turn on him? Pg 359-60

Viserys names Rhaenyra heir and held a lavish ceremony for lords to swear fealty pg 360

Daemon leaves Kingslanding with Mysaria for Dragonstone and gets her pregnant and presents her with a dragon egg. pg 360

Viserys tells Daemon to send Mysaria away and return to Rhae Royce. Daemon does so, Mysaria returns to Lys and loses the child.

Viserys is suggested to remarry. Runciter suggests Laena Velaryon who is 12. Viserys decides to marry Alicent who is now 18. Pg 361

Rumors at Court suggest that Otto is moving above his station and planned for Alicent to marry Viserys. The rumors also question Alicent's virginity and wonder if she slept with him before Aemma died. Again, who is spreading these rumors? Unlike with Daemon, we don't even get a vague mention at who to judge them better. pg 361

Mushroom restates the rumors above along with Alicent doing 'more than just reading' for Jaehaerys. I again do not believe these rumors as they seem to come up only when Otto and Alicent are advancing politically. pg 361

Daemon and Corlys are both upset at the news of Viserys marrying Alicent. Pg 361

Laena is betrothed to the sea lord of Braavos' son. pg 375

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Viserys: makes Rhaenyra his cupbearer at age 8 and is not seen without her after. He drinks a lot and Rhaenyra is there to serve him wine. Pg 354. Refuses to name Daemon heir but forgives any of his offense. Pg 355 gets mad enough at Daemon and commands him which he rarely does. pg 360 Viserys is also uncharacteristically firm when choosing to marry Alicent and not 'for reasons of state' (perhaps after Viserys lost his wife, son, and his brother left Kings Landing, he wanted someone who would take care of him like Alicent did Jaehaerys. I do not think they were sleeping together before Aemma's death.) Pg 361.

Daemon: Takes the lead of the gold cloaks and gives them better armor, made the city more orderly, and had an 'eye for an eye' style of punishment. Takes an interest in Mysaria. Wants to be named heir but isn't. Pg 355 Speaks of his brother in disdain after being commanded to leave dragonstone. Pg 360.

Rhaenyra: is smitten with Criston (she is 9 at this time so childhood crush) and has him named her personal protector.

Criston: (we don't have much written on his character, just how others react to him. The ladies are smitten and daemon hates him but Cole isn't described like how the other characters are with a list of traits.) pg 359

Lyonel: mistaken for a brute and dumb but just a large, silent, and very smart man. Pg 359

Laena: Fiery, bold, adventurous. Claimed Vhagar at 12 or younger which is very bold and brave. Pg 360-1. The Maester of High Tide says that Laena is more interested in dragon riding than in boys. Pg 361.

Unknown Years between 103-105 A.C.

Eustace, Mushroom, and Otto's letter to his brother tells us that Otto greatly disliked Daemon. Otto's own writings on his feelings about Daemon should be believed as its his own testimony backed up by other sources. But do take his claim that Daemon would be 'a second Maegor the Cruel' with a pinch of salt. Pg 358

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Otto: hates Daemon and uses his influence as hand to remove him from each position Viserys gives him. Pg 358

Daemon & Rhaenyra: Rhaenyra is fond of Daemon and he brings her gifts when he crosses the narrow sea. Pg 355

Viserys: Doesn't try to claim a dragon (Viserys is the first Targaryen who's dragon died before him and had the opportunity to claim a dragon, but never did) Pg 355. Hates conflict and tries to make peace between Otto and Daemon (we'll see him using this tactic again soon) pg 358.

106 A.C. The Marriage and War begin

Viserys marries Alicent and Velaryons are absent. Pg 361-2

Daemon meets with Corlys and they plan to invade the stepstones and take them from the Triarchy. Pg 362.

Viserys supports Daemon by giving gold for the war. Pg 364

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Alicent: calls Rhaenyra 'daughter' at her wedding. Filling that caregiver role?

Corlys: When slighted, he takes to war to assert his power.

Daemon: When pushed away from his brother, he seeks power through war.

Viserys: tries to fix tensions between him and Daemon by using his power as king to support him. Viserys is reported to say 'let daemon play at war, its keeps him out of trouble' pg 364

107 A.C. Aegon

Aegon is born. pg 365

108 A.C. Crab Ate

Daemon defeats Craghas Crabfeeder and cuts off his head with Darksister. Pg 363

Cregan Stark is born ph 416

109 A.C. King of the stepstones

Daemon and Corlys control all but 2 of the Stepstones islands. Pg 364

Helaena is born. pg 365

Otto is removed as Hand after pushing for Aegon to be made heir and Lyonel Strong takes his place Pg 365

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Daemon: Declares himself king of the stepstones. Pg 364

Corlys: Places the stepstone crown on Daemon's head. Pg 634

110 A.C. War returns

The Triarchy and Dorne unite to continue fighting in the stepstones. Pg 364

Aemond is born half the size of Aegon but twice as fierce Pg 365

Unknown Years between 106 A.C. - 110 A.C.

Lords and knights seek Rhaenyra's favor but shes only interested in Criston Cole.

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Alicent: Alicent says at court 'Ser criston protects the princess from her enemies but who protects the princess from ser criston?' Pg 365. no longer using 'daughter' and may be faining concern or actual concern for the princess's virtue around Criston.

Viserys: Keeps Rhaenyra as heir but doesn't argue why when questioned, just states as fact. Interesting level of stubbornness pg 365. Hates the conflict between his wife and daughter but doesn't address the root of the problem and just uses his ability as king to keep the balance through parties and gifts. Pg 365

111 A.C. The second quarrel

Visery's and Alicent's 5th wedding anniversary and Alicent and Rhaenyra wear their signature dresses to assert their sides.

The Blacks have a better tourney performance with Criston as Rhaenyra's champion. He unhorses Alicent's unknown champion, two cousins, and her younger brother Gwayne. Pg 366 (this perhaps shows that Rhaenyra is in a better position than Alicent?)

Daemon rides in the tourney but hasn't declared for a side. Pg 366

Daemon remains in Kingslanding for half a year.

Daemon returned to his old goldcloak friends in the street of silk and treated Alicent with respect but no love. He spends a lot of time with Rhaenyra, gives her gifts, and mocks the greens. pg 367

Grand Maester Runciter says Daemon and Viserys quarrled again and Daemon leaves for the step stones again. pg 367

Eustace says Daemon seduced Rhaenyra and took her virginity. The two were discovered by Ser Arryk and brought to Viserys. Rhaenyra begs to marry Daemon but Viserys denies it and confines Rhaenyra to her room and sends Daemon away. Pg 367-8

Mushroom says Rhaenyra wanted Criston so Daemon tutored her with kissing lessons, touching men for pleasure, but they did not have sex. Criston was horrified and spurned Rhaneyra. The story comes out in part thanks to mushroom. Daemon tells Viserys to let him marry Rhaenyra and Viserys tells Daemon to leave Pg 368-9.

Daemon leaves for the stepstones pg 369

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Rhaenyra: the act of wearing 'the dramatic red and black dress' is Rhaenyra's first step into the feud with Alicent. She is 14. following Eustace and Mushroom's account, we get the idea that Rhaenyra is now exploring sexually and perhaps looking for love in either Daemon or Criston who are both denied to her pg 369

Daemon: gives his crown over to Viserys, perhaps showing that family is more important to Daemon than power. Pg 367 Eustace and Mushroom both agree that Daemon was explicitly active with Rhaenyra and its seems in both cases was doing to to grasp at power. pg 369

112 A.C. Rhaenyra's Suitors

Grand Maester Runciter dies and is replaced by Mellos. Pg 369

Lord Commander Ser Harrold Westerling dies and is replaced by Criston Cole. Pg 369

Rhaenyra visits the Trident and the sons of lord blackwood and bracken fight over her in a duel, a younger son of house Frey asks her to marry him, the Lannister twins quarrel over her. pg 369 (while not stated, its pretty clear that Rhaenyra is on tour looking for a husband)

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Viserys: declines to wed Rhaenyra to Aegon stating 'The boy is Alicent's own blood... She wants him on the throne.' interesting separation of himself from his son and seeing Alicent wanting her son to be king as a bad thing. Again, Viserys declines to fix the root problem.

113 A.C. Betrothal of Fire and Sea

Rhaenyra is betrothed to Laenor and concerns about him being gay are dismissed. pg 370

Rhaenyra refuses to marry Laenor, also refers to Alicent's kids as half brothers. Only relents when Viserys threatens to disinherit her. pg 370.

Eustace says that Criston asks Rhaenyra to run away with him and Rhaenyra declines. Pg 370-1 (I believe Eustace more as its in line with Rhaenyra choosing power over personal happiness or freedom)

Mushroom says Rhaenyra asked Criston to take her virginity and Criston refuses 'even when Rhaneyra used the arts she had learned from Daemon' Pg 371 (so simple sexy pose or blowjob? probably just sexy pose). Rhaenyra then has sex with Harwin Strong and Mushroom claims to have found them together the next morning. pg 371

Rhaenyra leaves for Driftmark with the strong sisters, mushroom, and Harwin as her new champion.

Dalton Greyjoy is born (world of ice and fire)

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Rhaenyra:Rhaenyra chooses power over her own happiness by agreeing to wed Laenor to keep her spot as heir. Eustace says that Rhaenyra begs for Viserys' forgiveness after he threatens to disinherit her while mushroom says she spits in his face. Pg 370 Eustace and Mushroom dispute how much she was willing to grovel for her father's forgiveness.

Viserys: uncharacteristically strict and threatens to disinherit Rhaenyra if she doesn't marry Laenor. Perhaps he wants everything to go the way he imagines it and does not want people upsetting his ideas for the future?

Criston: turns from being loyal to Rhaenyra to loathing her. Pg 371 (was this because Rhaenyra tried to seduce him or scorned him?)

114 A.C. Marriage of Fire and Sea

Rhaenyra and Laenor are married. She's 17 and he's 20. pg 372

Rhaenyra gives Harwin her favor and Laenor gives Jeoffrey Lonmouth his favor. Pg 372 (Showing that these two pairs are both lovers now). Criston takes Alicent's favor after being denied Rhaenyra's Pg 372 (was Criston still holding out hope for Rhaenyra?)

Criston wins the tourney, breaking Harwin's collar bone and putting Jeoffrey in a coma where he dies 6 days later. Pg 372

The animosity between Rhaenyra and Alicent was noted by envoys in letters to Pentos, Braavos, and Old Volantis Pg 372

Laenor returns to driftmark while Rhaenyra remains in Kingslanding. pg 372

Eustace says Rhaenyra and Laenor only shared a bed a dozen times (12) and Mushroom adds that Qarl Correy joined them as well and Rhaenyra would either watch them or seek out Harwin. pg 373

Rhaenyra's pregnancy is announced and Jacaerys is born a 'large strapping lad, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a pug nose' pg 374

Alicent gives birth to Daeron who is noted as traditional Targaryen coloring (pale hair and purple eyes) pg 374

Viserys orders Jace and Daeron share the same wet nurse. pg 374

Addam of Hull is born pg 443

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Laenor: was only knighted before wedding Rhaenyra. Lover of Jeoffrey Lonmouth and according to mushroom sat by his bed till he died. pg 372

Criston: leaves Rhaenyra's party to join Alicent being either scorned or repulsed by Rhaenyra enough to fight in a blind fury.

Rhaenyra: doesn't leave with Laenor and stays in Kingslanding. Is clearly not interested in Laenor and prefers spending time with Harwin her new champion.

Viserys: Again does not address the main issue between the blacks and greens and instead tries to have Jace and Daeron be raised closer together.

115 A.C. Daemon and Laena travel diaries

Rhae Royce dies and runestone passes to her nephew pg 374

Daemon leaves the war in the stepstones to try and claim runestone but is denied and told to stay out of the Vale by Jeyne Arryn. pg 374

Daemon leaves for Driftmark where he duels and 'makes short work' (unknown is betrothal is broken or he dies) the sea lord of Braavos' son. He then marries Laena and they fly across the narrow sea first to Pentos, then across the Disputed Lands, then to Old Volantis, Rhoyne, Qohor, and Norvos. Pg 375-6

Rhaenyra gives birth to Lucerys in the later part of the year. Eustace says that Laenor and Harwin were by her side. Pg 376

Rhaenyra leaves for Dragonstone as she and Alicent can't stand each other pg 376

Laenor is said to visit "frequently" (frequently is in quotations implying that he is not actually visiting frequently?) pg 376

Alyn of Hull is born pg 443

---

Daemon: again tries to claim power by claiming Runestone but is denied. He then marries Laena either for love as the singers says but singers are known to romanticize things. More cynical men say because she gave him a way to keep from falling in the line of succession more. But Laena is not ahead of Daemon in the line of succession and marrying her won't stop him from being further down the line so I'm more inclined to believe he fancied her. (perhaps Laena and Daemon both fought in the stepstones or met more there?) pg 375

Laena: we can discern that Laena is very adventurous and loved to travel.

Viserys: Is happy to meet Luke and doesn't seem worried about him not looking Targaryen.

Alicent: According to Mushroom told Laenor to keep trying to get one that looks like him which could show that Alicent is aware that Luke and Jace are not Laenor's and is slyly letting him know she knows.

Rhaenyra: She now decides to leave kingslanding for dragonstone when she had previously chosen to stay in kingslanding.

116 A.C. The Second Quarrel ends

Baela and Rhaena are born and called "Daemon's first trueborn children" Pg 376 (Implying he has bastard children?)

Viserys and Daemon reconcile over Daemon now being a father. Pg 376-7

---

Daemon: seeks his brother's forgiveness again.

Viserys: forgives his brother again believing fatherhood changed him.

117 A.C. Bastardy Rumors Spread

Jeoffrey is born pg 377

Rumors spread in the Greens that Harwin is the father of Rhaenyra's sons. These rumors would support Alicent in getting Rhaenyra out of being heir but we know that Viserys does not care. Mushroom says Harwin is the father and Mellos hints at Harwin being the father. Eustace acknowledges the rumors but dismisses them. (Interestingly Eustace claims Rhaenyra slept with Daemon but does not believe her children were fathered by Harwin). Pg 377

The Velaryon boys are given dragon eggs by royal decree. (The Targaryen boys are not given dragon eggs in contrast) pg 377

Rhaenyra gains weight after childbirth. Mushroom says she resented Alicent for staying slim. Pg 377

Eustace says Viserys placed Jace on his knee and said the iron throne would be his one day. Pg 377

The Targaryen boys and Velaryon boys become rivals but still train and study together Pg. 377-8

Rhaenyra is close with Laena and Daemon Pg 378

---

Rhaenyra: is fond and more than fond of Laena perhaps implying a romantic interest or just a very close friendship? Pg 378

Viserys: has eggs placed with the Velaryon boys but not his own kids with Alicent. Perhaps wanting to dispel rumors as quickly as possible and assert their legitimacy.

118 A.C. The Betrothals

Viserys agrees for Rhaenyra to have Jace (4) and Luke (3) betrothed to Baela and Rhaena (2). pg 378

119 A.C. Laena Conceives

Laena gets pregnant again and Rhaenyra joins her on dirftmark. Pg 378

120 A.C. The Red Spring

Laena dies of childbed fever (basically infection from unsanitary conditions) and gives birth to a boy dragon baby who quickly dies Pg 378

Daemon flies to Dragonstone to get Rhaenyra's more skilled Maester Geradrys but he arrives too late pg 378

Mushroom says Rhaenyra and Daemon sat vigil over Laena's body and she comforted him while he grieved pg 378

Merchants at a fair in Spicetown say Laenor and Qarl quarreled and Qarl stabbed Laenor to death before fleeing. A large crowd of people are more likely to have the true story as it's harder to sway them all. Eustace also agrees with the merchants and says Qarl was motivated by jealousy of Laenor leaving him. Mushroom says Daemon payed Qarl to kill Laenor to make room for himself as Rhaenyra's husband. pg 379

Corlys offers a reward for Qarl's head but he's never caught. pg 379

Aegon and Helaena are both dragon riders of Sunfrye and Dreamfyre respectively pg 380

Daeron has Tessarion but has not ridden her yet. Pg 380

Aemond claims Vhagar but is ambushed and fights the velaryon boys. Luke slashes out Aemond's right eye (weirdly changed to his left in the show) pg 380-1

Viserys tries to make each side apologize to one another. Alicent demands Luke's eye and Rhaenyra says Aemond should be questioned "sharply" (tortured). pg 381

Aemond claims Aegon told him the Velaryon boys are strong and Aegon says everyone can tell. pg 382

Lyonel and Harwin die in Harrenhal by fire. Pg 383

Rumors say the fire was either a mischance or black Harren's curse. Mushroom says Corlys set the fire to get revenge for Laenor being cucked (why now after three kids?). Eustace says Daemon did it to remove his love rival. Another rumor was Larys did it to get Harrenhal as his seat. Mellows says Viserys ordered Harwin's death to hide Rhaenyra's affair with him and that Lyonel's death was unforeseen because he wasn't supposed to accompany his son back home. Pg 383

Viserys sends for Otto to replace Lyonel as hand. Pg 383

Rhaenyra remarries to Daemon with both of their previous spouses having not been dead for half a year. pg 383 Eustace says they married in secret knowing Viserys would not allow it. Mushroom says Rhaenyra was again pregnant and did not want a clear bastard. Pg 384

Rhaenyra gives birth to Aegon at the end of the year and according to Mushroom, named him Aegon to slight Alicent. pg 384-5

---

Laena: wants to ride Vhagar one last time before she dies showing her love and connection to her dragon.

Daemon: must have loved Laena a lot to try so desperately to save her life.

Rhaenyra: comforts Daemon (non-sexually) after Laena dies. But remarries to Daemon quite quickly, perhaps showing not desire for Daemon but need for a powerful ally?

Viserys: makes fun of Aemond by saying he can claim an egg or hatchling if he's bold enough. This also shows that Aemond was not given a cradle egg. pg 380. Viserys is more concerned about rumors of Rhaenyra's kids' bastardy than Aemond losing an eye, one being treated with threats of tongues being removed while the other is forced to kiss and make up. Viserys also decides to not make Rhaenyra Hand to avoid more conflict between her and Alicent, again unwilling to address tension and rather ignore it till he can't. Pg 383

122 A.C. Viserys and Sibling Marriage

Rhaeanyra gives birth to Viserys and his dragon egg does not hatch. Pg 384

Viserys weds Aegon (15) to Helaena (13). Pg 384

---

Viserys: interestingly weds Aegon and Helaena together, most likely to keep Alicent from seeking marriage alliances.

Aegon: Lazy and somewhat sulky. Drinks and fondles serving girls.

Helaena: Happy and described as making a fine mother (so caring and attentive?)

123 A.C. Twins Born

Jaehaerys and Jaehaera are born. Both get and hatch cradle eggs. Jaehaerys is polydactly and Jaehaera is described as slow to grow. 385

Mushroom claims Aegon fathered a bastard boy on a maiden from the street of silk and a girl by one of his mother's maidservents. Pg 386 (How would he know this being on Dragonstone?)

126 A.C. Take his head

Daeron is sent to oldtown to be a cupbearer and squire for Lord Hightower. Pg 386

Corlys falls ill with fever and the issue of succession is raised. Pg 386

Corlys's nephew Vaemond claims he should be heir as Rhaenyra's kids are bastards. Rhaenyra has Daemon behead Vaemond and feeds his head to her dragon. Pg 386 Vaemond's younger cousins, his wife, and his sons flee to Kingslanding to plead their case and their tongues are removed. Pg 386

Viserys cuts his hand open on the throne had has two fingers removed. pg 387

Cregan overthrows his Uncle as regent and imprisons him and his cousins. Pg 416

---

Alicent: While it is not stated, I believe Alicent sent Daeron away for his own safety after Vaemond was killed.

Rhaenyra: Escalating what she's willing to do to keep power, no longer is she bending to Viserys' wishes like she did as a teen or sneaking behind his back, this is out-in-the-open murder.

Viserys: Again esculating his covering for Rhaenyra allowing her to order the death of another highborn.

127 A.C. The Feast for the lost fingers

Maelor is born and given a cradle egg Pg 386

Viserys holds a feast for his recovery and Rhaenyra and Alicent attend with all their children. The court chronicles record that the two sides looked to mend things. Mushroom says that once Viserys left, fighting broke out between the kids. Pg 387

Viserys stops sitting the iron throne and Mushroom claims to be entertaining the king. Pg 387

Maester Mellos dies and is replaced by Orwyle by the Citadel. Pg 388

---

The Velaryon and Targaryen Boys: All three (assuming Daeron and Jeoffrey are there as well despite not being mentioned) boys go out of their way to provoke eachother.

128 A.C.

Cregan’s wife Arra Norrey dies in child birth to his son and heir pg 416

Dalton avenges his uncle’s death in the Stepstones and claims the sea stone chair (world of ice and fire)

129 A.C. 3rd day of the 3rd moon

Helaena brings her children to Viserys' room and he tells them a story about Jaehaerys. Viserys dies in his sleep. Pg 390

---

Viserys: his last act is to tell a story of a Targaryen king to his grandchildren.

Thanks for reading the first half of the timeline breakdown for rewriting HotD!

[asoiafzambi]

Nerding out about show and booktimeline some more.

Condal and Hess are so funny, can't even decide what year it is on the show.

Rhaenyra is born 97 AC on the show.

Alicent is born 98 AC on the show since everyone (except Hess) now insists she was 14(!) when she wed Viserys.

(As birth month I put tenth moon for Rhae and eigths moon for Alicent because I can do what I want.)

In Ep 1: Viserys had been king for TEN YEARS!11! So if he became king 103 AC like in the books we would be in 113 AC already which doesn't work (or Hess is right that the girls are 15/16 and not 13/14 in that episode.) If they are indeed 13/14 we are in late 111 AC or rather early 112 AC and Viserys became king in 101 AC on the show. I guess Jaehaerys just immediately keeled over after the Great Council in this universe.

Ep 2: Sixth month have passed we are in late 112 AC. The girls have turned 14/15 respectively. Now Alicent being 15 when birthing Aegon finally makes sense. They wed on the last spring moon ('May') in 113 AC so Aegon should drop around the second moon of 114 AC. Helaena is pretty much exactly two years younger and born second or third moon of 116 AC. So yeah, Rhaenyra is most definitely 18 and not 17 during that hunt in episode 3. Vizzy kinda forgot, I guess.

Ep 4 & Ep 5: More than a year has passed because Aegon is now a 'princeling of three'. So we are somewhere mid 117 AC. Rhaenyra is 19 and Alicent close to it. Aemond is made 🤢 and will drop early 118 AC.

Jace takes a bit longer and if he is indeed close to 19, which Rhaenyra implies at some point in season 2, then holy moly we are at least in 137 AC already. If it were 132 AC as was assumed thus far Aegon would be 18 Healena 16 and Aemond 14 which is nonsensical of course. Especially as Daeron was said to be 16 now.

So yeah for the 'next gen' the ages that make more sense are:

Aegon 23

Helaena 21

Aemond 19

Jace 18

Daeron 16

Baela 17 (?)

Rhaena 15 (?)

So forget what the big season 1 time jumps say it's not working out.

Not sure why I'm doing this to myself tbh.

[crownrots]

🍇 PRINCESS RAENESSA TARGARYEN (75 AC - 133 AC) (template by @kanos)

↳ Raenessa Targaryen was born in 75 AC to Prince Aemon Targaryen and his wife, Jocelyn Baratheon. She is the older twin sister of Princess Rhaela Targaryen, and younger sibling to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.

Meek and emotional, she was oft called The Weeping Dragon behind her back. Ever compared to her two sisters, she lingered in their shadow for most of her life, trailing behind them and cleaning up their messes or sifting though the scraps they left behind.

Her cradle egg, as green as Wildfire, hatched shortly after her birth and finally in 91 AC at the age of sixteen, the timid Targaryen finally took the beast to mount. The Green Jewel of Dragonstone, Vysera, as she named her, seemed to be just as timid as her rider, but was fiercely protective of the young woman. While barely ridden due to Raenessa's distrustful nature, the dragon and rider shared a bond that was as close and unique as any other.

In 94 AC, at the age of nineteen, she wed Donnal Redwyne. The two struggled for years to have a viable pregnancy, and after many failed attempts, their prayers were finally answered when she gave birth to a girl in 113 AC, whom they named Daenys.

Unfortunately, their new found bliss was cut short as a fever took Donnal Redwyne's life mere weeks after Raenessa had given birth. The now widowed mother was never quite the same after that and as years passed she rarely let her daughter out of her sight. Months following the tragic loss, Queen Alicent extended an invitation towards her and the still young child, offering them a residence in the capitol should they want it. Raenessa graciously accepted and the mother and child lived in relative happiness and great comfort for many years.

When the Targaryen civil war commenced in 132 AC, Raenessa declared her support for King Aegon II Targaryen and The Greens, though, suffers a great loss at many turns.

In the days following the slaying of her older sister and her dragon at the Battle of Rooks Rest, Raenessa used the exodus of small folk from King’s Landing to flee the capitol. Amid orders from the Prince Regent, Aemond Targaryen, to seal the city, she managed to slip through undetected. Still reeling in shock and grief, she declared for her cousin, Rhaenyra Targaryen, but subsequently found herself locked in the cells beneath Dragonstone for a time, her untimely and sudden arrival sending ripples of confusion though the Queen’s small council.

Back in King’s Landing, Raenessa was branded a traitor and in retaliation Criston Cole suggests her dragon, Vysera, be slain and her remains fed to King Aegon's mount, Sunfyre, for her treachery.

In 133 AC, after failing to be reunited with her daughter, Daenys, until Queen Rhaenyra takes King's Landing, she suffers another great loss; one that will prove her last. During the riots lead by The Shepherd, Daenys would retreat to the Dragonpit to ensure the safety of her own dragon, Duskwing. Her demise was said to be particularly gruesome, the young woman and her unborn child crushed underfoot by her frightened dragon in its panic as the mob descended upon the chained beasts.

Overcome with grief, Raenessa Targaryen ended her own life just days later, through means of poison, succumbing to the deadly concoction nestled among her daughter's belongings.

tag list (ask to be added or removed 💞): @queennymeria @laiostoudenn @roberthouse69 @wardsables @thedeadthree @statichvm @frankwoods @josephzeppeli @countessrooster @lucky-107 @cptcassian @arborstone

[truths33k3r4]

DAY 4- “Betrayed By Someone They Trust”

(PS Just a quick heads up for some warnings~ This fic- is not a happy one. TW- Capture, blood, strangling, implied character death, and stabbing)

Smoke burned into Lotus’ eyes as she peered through the flames frantically. Her throat was dry and itchy from the lack of moisture in the air. Vibrant hues of red and yellow flickered in the reflection of her irises, her pupils shrinking with her hope. She kept her limbs as close to her body as possible as the flames continued to grow.

Where are they??

The smaug filling the room echoed the mist in her mind as she tried to remember what happened. She recalled a bright neon light encircling her and her brothers as they fled from incoming foes in an intergalactic battleship. As a tingling sensation overtook her, sparking electricity through every nerve in her body, her whole world went to black.

And then- she woke up in the belly of the beast.

She winced as a twinge of tightness pulled at the muscles in her arms, biting back a yelp as she tried to rub away the remaining rope burns from her wrists.

The flames continued to grow, alighting the room as if a sunset had unleashed all of its power. As the fire grew in mass, the amount of oxygen shrank. Lotus coughed and tried to hide her face with her arms, but the smoke paid no mind as it weaved itself into her sinuses. Between more hacks and now tears, she grabbed her mask tails and spat in them, covering her mouth so she would somewhat be able to breathe through the moisture in the fabric.

She knew it wouldn’t last- but she had to try something.

The flames continued to claw at the walls as more boards fell to the ground in crackling shards. She scoured the room for an exit, but the fury of the flames hindered her from seeing one. Lotus could feel her barely damp mask tails continue to dry out with each passing second. 

Time was running out.

She knew her brothers were around here somewhere. They had to be. Not just anyone would do something so risky as using a wrecking ball on a crane to obliterate the wall of your deadliest enemies’ fortress. No, that would be illogical, foolish, and life-threatening.

That would be her brothers.

Something any newcomer to their home would quickly learn, was the fact that all bets were off once someone in the family was put in danger; All or nothing. But unfortunately, such reckless actions would always come back to snap at their shells. Her brothers did an excellent job of infiltrating the lair in which she was being kept, but they didn’t take into consideration just how many flamed stakes would be strewn throughout the walls. Or how flammable the carpet would be…

..Their arch nemesis needed a new indoor decorator.

Lotus coughed and staggered as the remaining moisture in her mask dried up. Her lungs were quickly filled with smoke as her eyes squinted, trying to see through her stinging tears. She searched with choked breaths and gasps for anything that would resemble her brother’s colors: The cool blue of Leo, the vibrant orange of Mikey, the bold purple of Don, and the zealous red of Raph. 

The flames grew ever closer, making her back away into the middle of the room. The heat was beginning to sting her arms and legs now, as sharp, burning claws flickered at her body. Her throat felt drier than the inside of an hourglass, but that didn’t stop her as she tried yelling for her brothers. She raised her hands and coned them around her mouth as she screamed,

“LEO!!! RAPH!! DON!!! MIKE-”

Her cries to her family were cut off as a hand shot out from the darkness, gripping around her throat with precision. Painful pressure burst into her neck as she was lifted off her feet and dragged towards her captor.

The clasped hand restricted her heart from leaping out of her throat as she gazed into his eyes.

Her brother’s eyes.

Lotus could feel her body tense further as her brother tightened his fingers like a noose around her throat. The biting pressure made it nearly impossible to speak. 

Nearly.

“GhHhhh- R--Ra-APH??” She managed to squeak out in shattered gasps.

Raphael’s eyes tightened with his grip.

“Who’s askin’?” A soulless voice crept out from her brother’s mouth, colder than a grave and just as empty.. “You’re nothin’ but a prisoner- how do you know my name?” He spoke with a tongue dipped in venom.

Words had escaped Lotus as quickly as her breath. She tried to gasp and speak but now it was truly becoming impossible to. Dark spots began invading her vision as she felt the flames around her slowly grow cold. The pain radiating from her arms and legs dulled to faint pulses. Her brain shushed all her rampaging thoughts, humming a lullaby and making them all turn to sleepy static.

Th-that’ssssss not gooddddd…

“I SAID WHO ARE YOU?” Raphael shouted, letting go of his grasp just enough so Lotus could breathe. His hazel eyes searched her for answers, the reflections of flames in them a constant reminder of his growing impatience.

Raphael’s slight release on her throat allowed Lotus’ tongue to finally unravel from its binds.

“I’m… yo-our f-f-family.” She wheezed as she tried to fight the losing battle of staying conscious.

Raphael’s eyes grew dark as he sneered mirthlessly.

“That’s cute. You think I’ll let you go cause we’re both freaks.” He hissed as his right hand pulled a thin blade to Lotus’ chin. “There’s no code of honor when being a monster is in your blood.”

He raised his sai until it barely pierced Lotus’ left cheek. She winced and tried to fight against it, but her strength was quickly leaving her. Her cold body shuddered at the sudden warmth of blood trickling down her neck. 

“P-p-please-” Lotus choked through her tears. She had to hold back from gagging when something warm and metallic found its way into her mouth. Darkness continued to creep further at the edges of her vision. 

“P-ple-ase Raph- I..I l-love you brot-ther.”

Raphael’s face became unreadable. His eyes, for a shard of a second, lit with a faint warmth. The hand holding his sai twitched and loosened its grip, slightly pulling the blade away from the flowing crimson on Lotus’ face. His expression subtly twisted as he fought against something inside him.

For just one second, Lotus saw Raph again. She saw her brother who taught her how to do lineart on his sketches. She heard a teasing voice with a smug grin. She felt the fading light of hope grow into a spark.

But before the light could overtake her brother’s irises, the darkness within him swallowed it.

He raised the sai again, aimed directly at Lotus’ head. 

“N-n-no!! NO! PLEASE!” Lotus cried out with the last shreds of her voice.

 Raphael’s shuddering grip on his weapon’s handle clenched into an unforgiving vice.

Lotus braced herself as her fight to stay conscious came to an end.

“P-please Raph..” She whimpered as her eyes rolled back and her body went limp, finally succumbing to the cold in the room filled with flame.

Tada~ Now we ALL BROKEN. XD

This was a FUN challenge- not only for my writing, but for my art. I NEVER draw fire- I'm still learning how to replicate the thriving, flickering movements- But then I looked up "fire in TMNT 2003" and BOOM. IT WAS GO TIME.

Thanks for reading! :)

~ Melissa

~ TMNTember 2024 Prompts List ~

[sysig]

Reading moodboard #84430940 (Patreon)

[bbygirl-aemond]

How long could Vhagar have lived before dying of old age?

Hi all! This ask here brought up the topic of Vhagar's longevity, and I actually have a lot of thoughts on this because it has implications for dragon biology in ASoIaF in general. So how long might Vhagar have lived, if it weren't for the Dance and she was able to die of old age? Let's turn to Balerion, the Black Dread, for an answer.

Balerion is the only dragon in known history to have died of old age, which is a problematic sample size to draw species-wide conclusions from. It's implied that he died because he was simply too big to fly anymore, but I don't necessarily think this applies to other dragons for a few reasons.

First, not all dragons grow at the same rates. We see that Dreamfyre, who is older than Vermithor, is still smaller than him. Dragons like Vermithor, Vhagar, and Balerion are discussed by Maesters are being unusually large, even for dragons. So if dragons die because they grow too big, certain species might live longer than others simply because they grow more slowly and tend to be smaller.

Second, Balerion's death might not have been solely due to old age. There were two extenuating factors that could very well have contributed to him dying earlier than he might have otherwise done. From 55-56 AC, Balerion and Aerea were completely AWOL, and when they returned Aerea was near death in a really freaky way, and Balerion had a nine-foot-long gash all down his side. It's thought that the two ended up in Valyria, went up against some freaky magic, and lost. Maybe the magic took more of a toll on Balerion than understood. Then, right after this, Balerion is chained up in the Dragonpit, and is kept underground for thirty seven straight years, until Viserys rides him a single time in 93 AC. We know that being chained is harmful for dragons' health and tends to physically weaken them.

So it's likely that if these things hadn't happened, Balerion would have been much stronger, even at the age where he died in canon. As for how much longer he might have been able to live, we can't fully say. I don't think it would be too much longer; probably a few decades at most. But all this is basically to say I don't think we should assume that dragons' lifespans max out at 200 years.

Around the start of the Dance, Vhagar was about 180 years old. So I'd say that she would live to at least 200 but likely longer, so long as she was allowed to remain unchained and uninjured. I'd say around 250-260 isn't unreasonable here. So if, in this scenario, Aemond has also survived, I actually think they could end up dying at around the same time; if Vhagar died at the age of 250, Aemond would be 86.

[distinctlywhumpthing]

In League — Nightmare

Masterlist

Summary: August still feels out of place in the house after trying to escape run away but a nightmare has him seeking Wyatt's comfort...

(This was in the Google Drive Black Hole until @peachy-panic's This Could Be The Moment and @hold-him-down's Not Ideal inspired me to polish it in the spirit of Bad Nights. If you haven't read these pieces (& entire series) yet, you should plan on getting zero work done this week because you now have more important things to do.)

CW: Late-19th century, indentured servitude/classism, explicit language, past-noncon implied, power dynamics, carewhumper/sympathetic whumper. Beta read by @alittlewhump!

August didn’t like sleeping alone. 

He missed being allowed to sleep in the chair, knowing all night that Wyatt was near, working at the desk or asleep in the bed. He would’ve kept to the chair forever if it had meant he didn’t have to be alone at night, in the dark where Keats could still find him. 

The nightmare hadn’t been anything novel. He was always struggling to regain some ground, all the while only digging himself deeper. Sometimes Fionn was there, hurting. Keats would lay a trap and August would walk right into it. Without fail. Hopeless, thoughtless, thankless. He was too slow, too dim-witted not to fall for the tricks every time, even in his own dreams. 

He’d awoken to his heart beating like a drum between his ribs. Chest both gnawingly hollow and achingly tight. The room was pitch-dark, with no moon or stars shining through the window. Even the fire had died in the hearth like the night was snuffing out all light. He’d played the unwitting accomplice, banishing any chance of warmth by casting all the blankets and even the pillows to the floor in sleep. He wrapped his arms around himself tightly, shivering. 

There were still many things he didn’t understand or trust about his place here and the older boy who had given it to him. But Wyatt had a way of making Keats feel like a small, distant memory and that was exactly what August needed right now. 

When he’d asked to stay—or rather, accepted Wyatt’s invitation to stay by way of needlessly asking his permission, Wyatt had insisted August take his bed. A laughable stipulation, considering how much worse he’d had than an armchair by a warm fire, but Wyatt had insisted. So, August had Wyatt’s room and bed to himself at night while Wyatt slept in the spare bed in Theo’s room down the end of the hall. 

August paused at Theo’s door, leaning around the frame, the corner of the wood pressing into his collarbone. Wyatt was alone, sleeping with his back to the open door. Theo’s was probably among the voices that occasionally rose from downstairs, a sliver of bright electric light seeping from under the parlour door and trying to climb to light the stairs. It was just enough brightness that August had been able to avoid the creakier of the floorboards in the old house. After hovering in the doorway uneasily for five full minutes to confirm Theo wasn’t coming upstairs, he tiptoed in, chilly air nipping at the strip of bare skin between his stockings and underbreeches. The rest of the house was always freezing in comparison to Wyatt’s room. August had eventually learned that none of the others ever bothered with fires, a realisation that had made heat spread through his chest like the very warmth Wyatt kept him in. 

It was hard to distinguish Wyatt himself from the bedcovers, fabric from skin, where one stopped and the other began, in the darkness. The bed itself and the man on it a single unbroken silhouette, carved from shadow marble. His even breath the only sign he wasn’t stone. August felt even more obtrusive standing over him. He crouched instead, not sure if he should sit on the edge of the bed without being invited and reluctant to kneel on the cold floor. 

He hesitated countless times, hand hovering in the open space between them, heart sprinting in his chest. What if he was given more than a hand to hold, the warm embrace he sought? Even in the face of the vows Wyatt made during the day, August had never met a promise that didn’t have a trap door. And coming to Wyatt’s bed like this in the middle of the night was as good a reason to use it as any. His nerves rose steadily until it was like his heart beat between his ears and it was all he could hear or feel, swaying in the darkness to the tide of his own pulse. 

A clatter from downstairs almost had him bolting back to his borrowed bed, ill dreams or not, lest someone else catch him out of it. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was that he’d rather it be Wyatt than anyone else, when the tables finally turned. 

Now or never. 

He reached out, brushing his fingertips over Wyatt’s bare shoulder. As faint as the hope he clung to that this would be no different than any other time Wyatt had comforted him. “Wyatt?”

Wyatt grumbled, turning onto his side to face August but not opening his eyes. He let his arm fall open, extended out toward August.

His heart hammered on in his chest as he held his breath waiting for more of an indication from Wyatt. More of an invitation or a dismissal. 

Was that space meant for August? Or was Wyatt only reaching out his hand? 

They’d never lain side by side before but Wyatt was always looping an arm around his shoulders during the day, swift to pull him into an embrace in those embarrassing moments when he lost his composure. 

Or was Wyatt simply fast asleep?

August twisted his fingers in the fabric of the nightshirt Wyatt had given him, knees starting to ache from crouching. He’d disturbed Wyatt enough thusfar. He ought to leave him in peace. But the thought of leaving had him swallowing a lump in his throat and blinking away tears, as though Wyatt were truly sending him away, rejecting him. An unwarranted, invented ache. 

It was for the best that he hadn’t roused Wyatt fully. He should feel lucky that he hadn’t gotten more than he bargained for. That Wyatt wasn’t the sort to thrash him simply for the disturbance. At least, he hadn’t shown himself to be that sort yet. August uncurled his fingers, pulse throbbing in his fingertips from how tightly he’d bound them in the fabric in his fists. He swiped at his cheeks with the back of his hand and rose. 

Wyatt sighed, fingers at the end of his open arm curling away from August, beckoning him closer. 

August’s heart faltered in his chest and against all reason, his tears fell with renewed urgency. He sniffled and fruitlessly wiped at them again before ever so gently, lying down at Wyatt’s side. 

He settled on top of the bedcovers since Wyatt hadn’t lifted them. It wouldn’t matter anyway once he was closer to Wyatt, in his arms. His heart still felt like it was beating too heavily in his chest. As though he were stealing something he didn’t deserve, hadn’t earned. He took a deep breath, forcing the air in past his galloping heart and chased away the memories of his nightmares and of Keats. Wyatt was nothing like him, had only ever welcomed him with open arms. 

August inched closer, resting his forehead against the older boy’s shoulder, hands tucked up between them. Wyatt’s breath tickled through his hair, in and out. If August flattened his hand, he could feel Wyatt’s steady heartbeat, its comforting metronome. He—

Wyatt drew in a sharp breath and shoved August back. He crashed to the floor, yelping as his head cracked against the corner of the solid bedside table. 

“I’m sorry,” he gasped, scrambling off his back as Wyatt’s shadow sat up in the bed, looming over him.

Wyatt didn’t move, didn’t dignify his feeble apology with a response. But he had to be furious for how hard and fast he was breathing, for how rigid his shadow was, as though he truly was stone. 

August’s heart carried on beating erratically in his chest. It didn’t feel right. It felt like it would swallow him, end him from the inside out, compounding his fear with each consuming beat. “I’m sorry,” he repeated lamely, voice shaking. He didn’t know what else to say. When Wyatt still didn’t acknowledge him, he inched forward, reaching out—

“Don’t fucking touch me.” Wyatt stood and August cowered back with a whine, hands coming up to protect his head. He couldn’t do anything right, perpetually reduced to crawling back like a puppy who’d been kicked but was too stupid to learn its place. 

It was all he was, broken, desperate. Exactly as Keats had made him. “Please, sir. I beg your pardon.” He hadn’t called Wyatt that in weeks, had been able to rise just a little bit in his esteem, and even his own. Until now. He started crying in earnest, the tension from his uncontrolled heart and the open fall of failure overtaking him. “I’m sorry, sir. Please—”

Wyatt skirted away from him, bringing his hands up to his head in his rage. As far as possible from the pathetic mess of a boy who’d overstepped his welcome. He would have run if Wyatt hadn't been blocking his way to the door. Sobs halted his apologies so he pulled his knees up to his chest and waited, never taking his eyes off Wyatt.

But crying would not constitute an apology, hiding from punishment even worse, and he needed to fix this. If he wasn’t dead in a day on the streets, Keats would find him. To remain in this house, even chained in the basement, was preferable. He would offer anything, surrender any part of himself, to stay with Wyatt. Make himself smaller, bend, break to counterbalance this fault, to regain what standing he’d had. He had brought this on himself and he would face the consequences. Prove––

A light in the doorway silenced his undeserved tears and he held his breath. 

“Wyatt?” It was Theo. And no one behind him, which was a small mercy, though it didn’t promise anything about what was coming for August. Theo lifted the candle, scanning the room until his gaze fell on August. 

A whimper escaped his lips and before he could sort himself to make some attempt at apology, Theo was moving. He couldn’t help himself, he covered his head again.

Only Theo paid him no mind, just went to the chair at the foot of the bed and gathered Wyatt’s clothes in his free arm. He thrust them at Wyatt with enough force that August heard the impact, pushing them at the unmoving statue that used to be Wyatt until he was forced to take a step back and finally brought his arms up to cradle the clothes. 

“Go on,” Theo said, keeping his voice low. 

Wyatt didn’t move. August couldn’t see his face from this angle but after a moment it became clear that something was transpiring. Something excluding August. 

“Get some air. Don’t worry, I’ve got him.”

His stomach dropped. He didn’t want Wyatt to leave when things were like this, when he hadn’t told him that he hadn’t meant to be so much trouble and that he would face the consequences well. But he couldn’t find his voice. 

With one more moment’s hesitation but not a second glance in his direction, Wyatt left and August was alone with Theo. 

First thing he did was set the candle on one of the posts of his bed. A precarious placement that had once lost August the privilege of candles for an entire month –of bruised shins and stubbed toes– at Elmwood. But Theo didn’t have to worry about things like that. None of the other boys here did. At least, August didn’t think so; even if they didn’t have much, they were all equal. Theo bent down a few paces away, resting his forearms on his knees. 

“August, you all right down here?”

He wasn’t sure what to say, or if he could say much of anything without just crying some more. He swallowed, to see if his throat was clear enough for words. It wasn’t. 

“I know you’re frightened,” Theo said gently. 

That only made the lump in August’s throat worse, sobs closer to escaping his lips. 

Theo watched him carefully, as was his wont. August fought shy of meeting his gaze. It made him nervous, how heedful Theo always was. What might he observe and, worse, what might he tell Wyatt? 

“You’re not in any trouble.” August couldn’t help but look straight into his eyes now. Watchful as they were, he didn’t find them deceitful. “I promise, everything will right.” 

He hoped Wyatt would agree.

“Why don’t you let me help you up? We’ll sort you out, too.” He held out one of his hands. “It’s all right, I’m not going to hurt you.”

When August reached out, his palm shone crimson in the candlelight. 

To be continued...

@whumpy-writings , @writer-reader-24 , @deluxewhump , @no-whump-on-main , @maracujatangerine , @painsandconfusion , @wolfeyedwitch , @briars7 , @gala1981 , @redwingedwhump , @whumpflash ,  @poeticagony , @annablogsposts , @fleur-alise , @melancholy-in-the-morning , @crystalquartzwhump , @magziemakeswhatever , @neverthelass , cakeinthevoid

[pocketramblr]

Who knows what Gerudo culture or fashion would have evolved into by 'Rule's time but it's nice to think about him getting to experience a bit more of it in another universe... Before BLYGanon sours it for him... Also been thinking about that Great Fairy of the desert...

[organised-disaster]

Okay I'm working on snowbird chapter 2

I hope people actually read it considering seven of them voted for me to keep writing it when I asked them

[aegoneggon]

before everyone gets butthurt when the show inevitably does this... i don't see anything in the text that would make it so alys rivers wasn't pregnant with daemon's baby rather than with aemond's

[blackcat419]

Rewriting HotD: Plot breakdown of Fire and Blood the Dance of the Dragons

Part 2: 129 A.C. to the fall of Kings Landing in 130 A.C.

Part 1 Here

The following is an in depth plot breakdown of F&B where character moments, plot beats, difference in sources, and missing details will all be analyzed and possible solutions proposed. The timeline will start in 101 A.C. with the first great council as where the seeds of the dance were thoroughly sowed and watered to the death of Jaehaera in 133 A.C.

This is the first part of my rewriting HotD series. The next part will talk more about character arcs and expanding on them using the enneagram as a jumping off point.

Page numbers will be cited from my copy of fire and blood the 2022 Trade Paperback Tie-in Edition.

Legend

Bold for the year

Italic for character moments

Blue for Orwyle’s account

Purple for Munkun’s A True Telling

Green for Septon Eustace’s The Reign of King Viserys

Red for Mushroom’s The Testimony of Mushroom

Orange for rumors that have no source

Pink for minor sources where their credibility and bias will be discussed when they come up

(Parenthesis) will be used when I deem it necessary to comment on the story either about the plot or how the fandom views the story.

[brackets] will be used for when I want to add real world historical context.

Where Gyldayn does not identify which source he is using or which sources disagree with eachother, it will be assumed that all sources agree with each other.

Source Bias is discussed in Part 1

Because the war is barely three years, months and other year dividers will be used when mentioned.

129 A.C. The 3rd day of the 3rd moon

Viserys' dead body is discovered by a serving man who immediately informs Alicent. Eustace points out that the serving man went straight to Alicent without raising an alarm showing the green's planning for when Viserys dies. Pg 392 Mushroom says that Alicent poisoned Viserys though he was not in Kingslanding at the time. Pg 392

Alicent and Criston confirm Viserys is dead, seal his room and guard it so rumors won't spread, and the small council meets in Alicent's room. Pg 392-3

Munkun accounts the council in his book drawing from Orwyle's confessions and many other sources. (Remember Orwyle will try to make himself look as good as possible to avoid execution). Orwyle reviews the customs and tasks after a king's death but Otto interrupts saying they need to discuss succession. Munkun, and thus Orwyle as well, says Orwyle said objected and supported Rhaenyra while Mushroom and Eustace say Beesbury was the only one supporting Rhaenyra. Pg 394-5 (Perhaps Beesbury was the main supporter for Rhaenyra and Orwyle moved from supporting Rhaenyra to Aegon to avoid punishment)

The argument for Rhaenyra supported by Lord Beesbury and maybe Orwyle: Viserys chose Rhaenyra as his heir and refused to change his mind, hundreds of lords and landed Knights swore to defend her in 105 A.C., and taking the throne for Aegon would lead to war. Pg. 395-6

The argument for Aegon. Tyland Lannister: many lords who swore oaths in 105 A.C. are now dead and their children did not swear oaths to Rhaenyra. Jasper Wylde: Jaehaerys chose Baelon over Rhaenys in 92 A.C. and the council of 101 A.C. chose Viserys over Laenor (deriving his claim through his mother), and Andal law of sons before daughters. Otto and Alicent: Daemon will kill Otto, Alicent, and Alicent's children Aegon, Aemond, Daeron, Helaena, and Helaena's children. Criston: Rhaenyra's heir is a bastard and the red keep will become a brothel of depravity. Pg. 395-6

Orwyle tells us that Beesbury was seized at the command of Otto and placed in the black cell where he died of a chill. Eustace says Criston slit Beesbury's throat. While Mushroom says Criston defenestrated Beesbury and he died impales on the iron spikes in the moat. Pg 396

The green council plans Aegon's coronation makes sure no news of Viserys' death will get out, and the men swear a blood oath. Pg 397

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Otto: Is the first to initiate the talks of the coup and is concerned about his and his family's lives.

Jasper Wylde: focuses on laws and traditions

Tyland Lannister: Focuses on personal oaths

Lord Beesbury: Following the previous monarch's wishes.

Criston Cole: Focuses on Rhaenyra breaking codes of honor.

Alicent: Focuses on laws and the lives of her family. According to Mushroom, she said, "Perhaps the whore will die in Childbirth". Pg 397

Larys Strong: doesn't participate in the debate but suggests swearing the blood oath.

129 A.C. The 4th day of the 3rd moon

Aemond and Helaena are informed of Aegon's impending coronation. Pg. 397-8

Munkun says Aegon is found at his revels. Mushroom says Criston found him in a Flea Bottom rat pit watching children fight and a girl blowing him. (Mushroom was not in Kingslanding at this time). Eustace says Aegon was with a paramour, the daughter of a wealthy merchant he took good care of. Aegon at first doesn't want the throne and Criston convinces him he must. Pg 398

The commander of the City watch and two of his seven captains are removed for being sympathetic to Rhaenyra. Luthor Largent is promoted to Commander and Gwayne Hightower is named second in command. Pg 398

Tyland becomes master of coin and splits the treasury into fourths sending one part to the Iron Bank of Braavos, one to Casterly Rock, and the last to Oldtown. The last part was saved to use for bribes. gifts, and hiring sellswords. Pg. 398-9

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Aemond: said "Is Aegon king?... or must we kneel and kiss the old whore's cunny?" Pg. 397

Helaena: said "He is not in my bed, you may be sure. Feel free to search beneath the blankets." Pg. 398

Aegon: According to mushroom Aegon is pretty horrible but remember Mushroom is biased against Aegon and prone to adding in cruelty and depravity. Eustace paints Aegon as disinterested in the throne with him saying "My sister is heir, not me,... What sort of brother steals his sister's birthright?" he's only convinced when told that Rhaenyra will need to kill him and his family. Pg 398

Criston Cole: convinces Aegon to take the throne by telling him his family will be killed. Pg 398

Otto: is prudent and places Gwayne on the city watch to keep an eye on the commander. Pg 398

129 A.C. The 6th day of the 3rd moon

The green council examines the council of 101 A.C. to identify which lords are most likely to support Aegon. Pg 399

Borros Baratheon is deemed swayable from supporting Rhaenyra and Aemond is sent to win his support. Pg 399-400

The Starry Sept sends message asking about missing courtiers held in the dungeons of the red keep. Pg 400

---

Aemond: Blusters at the suggestion he could fail to storms end. Pg 400

Otto: wants to spend more time planning for Aegon's coronation and alliances despite people noticing the missing coutiers. Pg 400

Alicent: wants to have Aegon's coronation now because people are noticing missing coutiers. Pg 400

Aegon: "Am I king or no?... If I am King then crown me" Pg 400

129 A.C. The 9th day of the 3rd moon

Steffon Darklyn defects and leaves Kingslanding in the night with his squire, two stewards, and four guardsmen. One of the stewards was entrusted to lock away the crown of Jaehaerys and Viserys but took it with him. Pg 401

129 A.C. The 10th day of the 3rd moon

Viserys' death and Aegon's succession as king is announced. Orwyle sends ravens, the silent sisters prepare Viserys' body, and riders announce it to the common folk. Some common folk cheer, others call out "Long live the queen", but most stay silent. Pg 400

The dragon pit is chosen for its ability to seat many and be defended. Criston crowns Aegon with Aegon the conqueror's crown. Alicent crowns Helaena with her own crown. Pg 400-1

Munkun and thus Orwyle tell us a hundred thousand small folk attended while Mushroom says the benches were half full (40 thousand as the dragon pit sits 80 thousand) Pg 401-2

Munkun says Aegon was escorted to Sunfyre, flew with him thrice around the city, then landed in the red keep to mount the iron throne. Pg 401

129 A.C. The 13th day of the 3rd moon

Rhaenyra goes into premature labor hearing the news of Visery's death and Aegon's coronation. Mushroom says she cursed the child and it was a still born girl with a hole where her heart should of been and a stubby scaley tail. Pg 402-3

129 A.C. The 14th day of the 3rd moon

Rhaenyra names the baby Visenya and coveins the black council. They discuss the dragon advantage the blacks have in numbers but Rhaenyra is wary of that as she is recovering from childbirth and does not want to risk her sons' lives. Daemon agrees and says they need to win over the lords first. Pg 403-6

Daemon leaves for Harrenhal to enforce their control of the Riverlords. Pg 407

Corlys closes off the gullet with a blockade and Rhaenys patrols the blockade to deture dragon fights. Pg 407

Jacaerys and Lucerys offer to ride their dragons to deliver messages to persuade the lords and also show they're Targaryens, not Strongs. Mushroom says Corlys corrected the boys with affection. Pg 407-8

Jace and Luke swear on the seven pointed star to only be messangers and to not fight. Jace flies for the Eryie, then White Harbor, and finishing with Winterfell. Luke flies to Stormsend with the council thinking it the easiest one to sway. Pg 408

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Rhaenyra: "She was my only daughter, and they killed her. They stole my crown and murdered my daughter, and they shall answer forit." Pg. 403 Worries for her sons fighting with their dragons.

Corlys: "Mayhaps the seven have preserved me for this one last fight" Pg 403

Rhaenys: described as fierce and fearless as she had been at 22. Pg 403-4 Focuses on the dragon number advantage over the greens.

Rhaena: was given one of Syrax's eggs and sleeps with it every night and prays for a dragon to match her sister's. Pg 405 (Rhaena yearns to be like her sister, to be what a targaryen is)

Laenor: Seasmoke is described as being his pride and passion pg 405

Daemon: "we must fight this war with words before we go to battle" Pg 406

Jacaerys and Lucerys: Offers to fly and deliver the messages to the lords showing bravery but also that they want to show they're Targaryens and not bastards.

Jeoffrey: wants to fly with his brothers but is forbidden because he's only eleven.

129 A.C. 15th day of the 3rd moon

Rhaenyra's coronation is held the next day and Steffon Darklyn arrives with the conciliator's crown. Daemon crowns Rhaenyra. Pg 408

Orwyle suggest that he visit Rhaenyra to persuade her that her cause is hopeless. Aegon accuses him of being a black supporter but Eustace says Alicent and Helaena persuade him to follow Orwyle's suggestion.

---

Daemon: places the crown on Rhaenyra's head, similar to what he did with Viserys. Pg 308

Rhaenrya: Offers her siblings amnisty if they surrender to her and follows it up with reaffirming that the kinslayer is the most cursed. Pg 408-9

Aegon: Rash in wanting Rhaneyra and Daemon killed as quickly as possible.

Alicent and Helaena: influence Aegon away from his rash decision.

129 A.C. Unknown day after 16th of the 3rd moon Rhaenyra

Orwyle leaves for Dragon stone with Arryk Cargyll, Gwayne Hightower, Septon Eustace, and many septons and scribes to deliver King Aegon's terms. Munkun describes the terms as generous with Aegon confirming Rhaenyra's possession of Dragonstone, Jace as her heir to Dragonstone, Luke as heir to Driftmark, Aegon the younger and Viserys would be given places of honor, and pardons granted to lords who supported her. Pg 409

Rhaenyra questions Orwyle, Munkun says Orwyle gave a speak sighting Andal law and the council of 101 while Mushroom says he stuttered and wet himself. Pg 409-10

Rhaenyra strips Orwyle of his chain of office and gives it to her Maester Gerardys. Pg 410

Farwell my brother the song tells us Arryk and Erryk Cargyll trying to convince the other to leave and join their side, when they fail they exchange declarations of love for each other. Pg 410 Most likely a romanticized account of the brothers.

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Rhaenyra: Questioning Owryle why he's going against Viserys' wishes for her to be queen.

129 A.C. Unknown day after 16th of the 3rd moon Daemon

Simon Strong turns over Harrenhal to Daemon without a fight. Pg 412

Daemon takes Harrenhal without bloodshed. Pg 413

The knights, men-at-arms, and peasants quickly declare for Rhaenyra because they remember her during her progress in the Riverlands. The lords Frey, Blackwood, Mootons, Pipers, Rootes, Daeerys, Mallisters, and the Vance declare for Rhaenyra. Pg 414-5

Lord Grover Tully wants to declare for Aegon but his grandson Elmo Tully locks him in his room and the castle bars its gates. pg 414

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Alys Rivers: She is a wet nurse at Harrenhal and looks young. Munkun and Eustace say she is Lyonel Strong's bastard. Mushroom says she is much older. Munkun says she's a serving woman who dabbles in potions and spells. Eustace says she is a woods witch. Mushroom says she is an enchantress who bathed in blood to preserve her youth [A reference to Elizabeth Bathory, a Hungarian countess accused of murdering peasant and noble girls to bathe in their blood. Modern authors argue that the accusations were politically motivated instead of based in fact because of her large amount of wealth and land. Mathias II the HRE and King of Hungary also owed her a massive debt which was canceled when she was arrested.] Pg 413

129 A.C. Unknown day after 16th of the 3rd moon Jacaerys

Jacaerys flies to the Eyrie and gains Lady Jeyne's allegiance in exchange for a dragon. He secures white harbor by betrothing Jeoffrey to Lord Manderly's youngest daughter. Finally, Jace secures Winterfell with the pact of ice of fire where Cregan's son and heir would marry Jace's firstborn daughter. Pg 414-8

Munkun says Jace and Cregan got along with Jace reminding Cregan of his dead brother. Eustace says that Jace tried to sway him to the faith of the seven. Mushroom says that Jace slept with Cregan's bastard sister Sara Snow and the next day she claimed they were married to calm Cregan's wrath (this implies that they might not have been married at all. Perhaps a shrewd political move by Sara if she is real?) Mushroom also says Vermax laid a clutch of eggs in the crypts of Winterfell. 416-7

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Lady Jeyne Arryn: The Maiden of the veil has not married. She took the seat at age three and fought thrice to keep her seat. Munkun tells us that Jeyne sided with Rhaenyra because they are both women and kin. He also has Jeyne saying 'I misslike feeling powerless'. Eustace brings up rumors of her being a lesbian but dismisses them (a common theme of Eustace's). Mushroom says she was sex-crazed and had Jace give her oral to win her over (If sex crazed why not marry to avoid any obvious bastards?) Pg 414-5

Lord Desmond Manderly: Shrewd man using the previous promise of Viserra's betrothal to his house to get a royal marriage. Pg 415-6

Lord Cregan Stark: We know he chaffed at his Uncle's regency and overthrew him. Munkun tells us he is brotherly to Jace because Jace reminds him of his dead younger brother. Mushroom says Cregan held Sara's honor in high regard and was wroth at Jace for supposedly soiling her. So family orientated and honorable? But also ambitious that he imprisoned his uncle and his cousins? Cregan doesn't have a clear character to me.

129 A.C. Unknown day after 16th of the 3rd moon Storm's End

Aemond makes a marriage alliance with Borros Baratheon by marrying one of his daughters, but not Maris. Mushroom says he kissed each daughter before choosing. Pg 418-9

From the accounts of multiple witnesses at Storm's End Aemond taunted Luke and Borros was flushed either in embarrassment or vanity. Mushroom says he was drunk and Eustace says he was fearful. Borros dismisses Luke saying he will not ally with Rhaenyra. Aemond wants to fight Luke but is stopped by Borros. Aemond is then provoked to hunt Luke by Maris Baratheon taunting him. Pg 419-21

Aemond chases Luke during a storm which slows Luke. Storm's End's Watchmen say they saw a blast of fire and a shriek but did not see the fight clearly. Arrax's head and neck washed up on the shore three days later. Munkun says Luke died with Arrax. Mushroom says Luke's corpse washed up and Aemon'd cut out his eye to present to Maris. Rumors say Luke survived and lost all memory or that Vhagar swallowed him whole. Pg 421-2

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Lord Borros Baratheon: Is fickle, loves his daughters, and wants a son. Pg 418-9 Sources at Storm's End say he could have been vain. This is reinforced by Borros wanting a marriage alliance and being insulted to 'be called like a dog' by Rhaenyra. Pg 420

Aemond: threatens Luke with taunts about his bastardy and calls Rhaenyra a whore. Is provoked into attacking Luke by having his masculinity taunted. Was mad enough or reckless enough to commit kin slaying. Pg 420-1

Luke: maintains his cool under Aemond's taunts and threats. Pg 420

129 A.C. After Luke's Death

Aemond returns to Kingslanding and is scolded by both Alicent and Otto. Aegon holds a feist for Aemond. Pg 422

Rhaenyra collapses when she learns of Luke's death. Jeoffrey tries to fly off to attack Aemond with only Corlys and Rhaenys stopping him. Daemon sends Rhaenyra a letter saying 'an eye for an eye, a son for a son' (Interesting choice as the first part 'an eye for an eye' was never fulfilled, Luke never lost an eye for taking Aemond's) Pg 422

(The book says that Daemon had allies even on the green council)

Daemon reaches out to 'a pale stranger' (Mysaria most likely) who finds Cheese, a castle ratcatcher, and Blood, a former goldcloak who lost his title after beating a sexworker to death. Cheese leads them into the tower of the hand because Maegor's holdfast was too secure with only one way in and out. (We know Aegon and Helaena are staying in Maegor's Holdfast but we don't know where Aemond is. Daemon would know Maegor's Holdfast only has one entrance.) Pg 424

Blood and Cheese slip into Alicent's room, kill her bedmaid, and tie her up to wait for Helaena. (Blood and Cheese know Helaena visits Alicent so either Cheese knows this or Daemon told them.). Blood kill's Helaena's guard and cheese snatches Maelor from her. They tell Helaena they are debt collectors and to choose which son she wants to lose. Helaena offers up her own life instead but they refuse. Cheese tells Helaena to pick before Blood rapes Jaehaera and they kill them all. Helaena reluctantly picks Maelor, Cheese taunts Maelor saying his mom wants him dead, and Blood beheads Jaehaerys. Blood and Cheese leave with Jaehaerys' head. Pg 424-5

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Otto and Alicent: Both scold Aemond for his rash actions. Alicent pleads to the mother for mercy while Otto admonishes Aemond for being so blind. Pg 422

Jeoffrey: Swears an oath of vengeance and wants to fight Aemond. Pg 422

Daemon: Turns to such a violent act when learning of Luke's death. an escalation of his reaction to when he feels powerless? Pg 422

Helaena: Keeps her cool when faced with Blood and Cheese having killed her guard, killed Alicent's bedmaid, and taken her youngest son. Offers herself up instead of her son and only when she is told its a son or all of them die does she name Maelor while weeping. Pg 425

129 A.C. 2 days after Jaehaery's death

Blood is caught trying to flee with Jaehaerys' head and confesses it was Mysaria and Daemon who gave him the job. Pg 425

129 A.C. 15 days after Jaehaery's death

Blood dies after 13 days of torture. pg 425

Mushroom says Alicent wanted Larys to learn Blood's true name so she could bathe in his wife and kid's blood. [another Elizabeth Bathory reference] pg 425

Luthor Largent (put a pin in this) and his gold cloaks fail to find Cheese and Mysaria. Pg 425

Aegon orders every rat catcher to be hanged and Otto brings in 100 cats to replace them. Pg 427

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Helaena: Over taken with grief, stops eating, bathing, or leaving her chamber. Can't look at Maelor without crying. And her and Aegon stop sharing a bed. Pg 427

Aegon: Orders masse execution to ensure his son's murderer is killed. He rages, drinks, and rages. Pg 427

129 A.C. The Riverlands The Battle of the Burning Mill

Daemon and Lord Samwell Blackwood force the Brackens to surrender. Ser Amos Bracken (Heir to Stone Hedge) slew Lord Samwell Blackwood and was killed by an arrow from Alysanne Blackwood. Pg 428-29

129 A.C. Kingslanding, Criston as Hand

Otto redoubles efforts to win over the Lords swearing to Rhaenyra, but Aegon sees his efforts as cowardly. Pg 429

House Tyrell remains neutral with the Hightowers and the Redwynes swearing for Aegon and the Beesburies, Costayne, Mullendore, Tarly, Rowan, and Grimm swearing for Rhaenyra. Pg 430

Otto seeks an Alliance with the Triarchy but it takes too long for Aegon's liking leading to Aegon to remove Otto as hand and replace him with Criston Cole. Pg 430-1

Criston kills the lords in the dungeons and mounts the heads of those still loyal to Rhaenyra over the city's gate. 431-2

The entire green council has to persuade Aegon not to fly to Dragonstone to avenge Jaehaerys. Criston instead sends Arryk Cargyll to kill Rhaenyra disguised as his twin Erryk. Pg. 432

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Aegon: According to Eustace, Aegon tells Otto "Thrones are won with swords, not quills. Spill blood, not ink." Showing his eagerness to fight. Munkun says that the fall of Harrenhall and the Battle of the Burning Mill made Aegon fearful of his position. Pg 430. He feels stressed from losing allies to Rhaenyra and is mad at Otto for not acting quicker Pg 430. He also removes Otto as hand for Criston. Pg 431. Desperate to avenge Jaehaerys. Pg 432

Otto: Focused on diplomatically winning over the Lords.

Alicent: Spoke in defense of Otto as hand

Criston: "It is not for you to plead for support from your lords, like a beggar pleading for alms… You are the lawful king of Westeros, and those who deny it are traitors. It is past time they learned the price of treason" Pg 431. Quick to act in Aegon's favor and remove his enemies.

129 A.C. The deaths of the Cargyll Twins

Munkun says Arryk left just to slay Rhaenyra while Mushroom says he was sent to slay Jace and Jeoff. Pg 433. The singers say that they exchanged vows of love before fighting. Pg 433. Munkun says the fighting lasted almost an hour and woke many. Pg 433 Mushroom says the battle was short and no declarations of love were said. Pg 433. Both brothers died. 433-4

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Arryk Cargyll: Eustace tells us he visited the sept to pray for forgiveness while following the king's orders. Pg 432-3 Mushroom says Arryk was more of a soldier who carried out his orders and fought his brother to the death.

Erryk Cargyll: Mushroom says he died of a gut wound four days after battling his brother, cursing his name. Pg 433

129 A.C. Rook's Rest

Criston marches to take Rosby and Stokeworth to prove their loyalty to Aegon by supplying men to Criston's army. Criston takes Duskendale by surprise, sacks the city, burns the ships, and beheads the lord Duskendale. The Duskendale soldiers were given the choice of switching sides or dying. Criston sieges Rook's Rest and the lord sends a letter to Rhaenyra asking for assistance. Pg 434

Nine days later, Rhaenys and Meyles arrive at Rook's Rest. Criston first has crossbow men and scorpions attack before Aegon and Aemond attack on their dragons. Rhaenys stays to fight and the three dragons crash to the ground together. Fire engulfs the dragons and when it goes out only Vhagar rises. Both Meleys and Rhaenys die. Sunfyre and Aegon are alive but both badly injured. Pg 435-6

The lord of Rook's Rest head is taken back and mounted in kingslanding and Meleys' head is carried through the cities and awes the crowd into silence. Pg 436 Eustace says thousands fled before Alicent ordered the gates closed. Pg 436

Aegon sleeps every nine of ten hours and is prayed over and tended to. Criston and Alicent both visit him but Helaena does not. Pg 436-7

Sunfyre remains at Rook's rest feeding on the dead and later has sheep and calves delivered. Pg 437

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Rhaenyra: Munkun says Rhaenyra was reluctant to attack out of fear of becoming a kingslayer, Eustace says she had a mother's heart and did not want to risk her sons' lives. Mushroom says Rhaenyra was too grief-stricken to engage in Council meetings. 434-5

Criston: expected Rhaenys to show up and planned on it using Aegon and Aemond to ambush her. This shows his intelligence and battle intellect. He also sits with Aegon while he is in a coma alongside Alicent showing his love and care for him.

Rhaenys: The book makes a point of her not turning and running implying she might have been able to escape and chose to stay and fight showing bravery.

Alicent: Sits by Aegon's side while he is in his coma showing her love for him.

Helaena: does not visit Aego because she is too lost in grief.

129 A.C. Prince Regent

Aemond becomes regent and calls himself Protector of the Realm (A reference to Oliver Cromwell) and Prince Regent. Pg 437

Criston warns Aemond about the gathering forces in the north and the vale. Pg 437

Ormund Hightower faces guerilla war tactics and sends for Aemond's help. Pg 437-8

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Aemond: about the crown "It looks better on me than it ever did on him" and Eustace says he did not need to be told twice that he was regent. Pg 437 Aemond is overly confident in his own strength, viewing Rhaenyra on dragon stone and the enemy in the reach as no real threat compared to Daemon. Pg 438

129 A.C. Dragon Stone, Fallout after Rhaeny's death

Corlys blames Rhaenyra for Rhaenys death saying she should have gone or sent her sons. Pg 439

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Corlys: Blames Rhaenyra for sending Rhaenys and not sending her sons with her

Rhaenyra: Sent Rhaenys instead of herself and forbid Jace and Jeoff to follow. Calls her living sons "my strength and my consolation." Pg 439

Jace and Jeoff: wanted to fly with Rhaenys to Rooks rest.

129 A.C. Late in the Year

Jace sends Jeoffrey to fly to Gulltown. Rhaena accompanies Jeoffrey with three dragon eggs. He reaches out to the Prince of Pentos to foster Aegon the Younger and Viserys. Reconcils with Corlys by making him Hand of the Queen. Pg 439-40

Baela remains on dragon stone and wishes to wed Jace. Munkun says Jace wanted to wait until after the war to wed Baela while Mushroom said he was already wed to Saera Snow.

Mushroom says he told Jace to look for dragon seeds.

---

Jace: Takes charge by fulfilling promises and ensuring the safety of his brothers and step sister. Reluctant to wed Baela either waiting till the war ends or because he was already wed to Saera.

Jeoffrey: Reluctant to go to the Vale and only concedes when told he will defend the Vale with his dragon. Pg 439-40

Rhaena: prays daily over the three dragon eggs. Pg 440

Baela: wished to fight beside Jace and marry him as soon as possible

129 A.C. The Red Sowing

Jace offers anyone who can claim a dragon will be granted lands, riches, knighthood, sons made nobles, and daughters married to lords. Many seeds and non seeds attempt to claim dragons. Pg 441-2

Munkun says 16 men died and thrice that number was burned including Stephon Darklyn the lord commander of the queen's guard, Lord Gorman Massey, and Silver Denys and his sons. Pg 442

Hugh claims Vermithor, Ulf claims silverwing, and Addam claims Seasmoke. Pg 442

Corlys brings Addam and Alyn to the sowing with their mother Marilda of Hull claiming them sons of Laenor. Eustace and Munkun say they were Laenor's sons while Mushroom claims them to be Corly's sons Pg 443

Corlys and Jace petition Rhaenyra to make Addam and Alyn true born Pg 444 (Even though Jeoffrey is still alive, he is betrothed to a Manderly and cannot marry Rhaena so Corlys seeks to have Addam made true born so he can have both his blood and name secure driftmark)

Alyn attempts to claim Grey Ghost and Sheepstealer but fails and is burned by Sheepstealer. Pg 445

Nettles claims Sheepstealer by bringing him sheep every morning to gain his trust. Munkun says her name is Nettles, Mushroom says Netty (sounds like a nickname)

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Hugh: Called Hugh Hammer and hard Hugh

Ulf: called Ulf the White and Ulf the Sot

Corlys: Brings either his bastard sons or grandsons to the sowing and later petitions for them to be made trueborn

Jacaerys: joins Corlys' to petition that Addam and Alyn be made trueborn

Rhaenys: Mushroom says she has the fiery temperament of most Targaryens and would not take kindly to her husband's fathering bastards. Pg 444

Nettles: Claims Sheepstealer by winning his trust. Is described as foul mouth and fearless.

End of 129 A.C.

Aegon and Viserys are attacked on the Gay Abandoned by the Triarchy. Aegon manages to escape on Stormcloud but the dragon dies and Viserys hides his dragon egg and disguises himself as a ship-boy only to be found out soon after. Pg 446-7

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Aegon the younger: Flies his dragon back to dragon stone, Mushroom says he was trembling like a leaf and reeked of piss.

Viserys: Described as clever for hiding his egg and dressing as a ship-boy.

130 A.C. First Moon 5th day

Sharako Lohar of Lys takes the Velaryon fleet by surprise by attacking them with the sun on their back. Another sect of the army takes Spicetown and by morning the town is burning and troops are at High Tide. Pg 447

Jacaerys attacks on Vermax, the men of the free city don't fear him as they faced Daemon on Caraxes before. The dragon seeds show up and turn the tide of battle.

Some say Vermax died with an arrow through his eye like Meraxes. Another says Vermax was pierced by a hook and due to his own speed, the hook tore through his belly. Survivors of the battle say Vermax crashed into a ship and sank with it while Jace held onto driftwood only to be shot with dozens of cross-bolt arrows. Pg 448 (I'd say the second rumor account and the survivor account can be believed as they are recounting what just happened after the battle)

Spicetown is brutally sacked and never rebuilt [This might be eluding to the sacking of Carthage and the tale of it never being rebuilt but historically important cities like Spicetown would be rebuilt on top of the ashes because these cities are invaluable places.] Hightide, Corlys' treasure, and his servants are burned and killed. Viserys is believed dead. Pg 448-50

The free cities lose 62 ships, and the majority of the surviving ships are commanded by Lysenie leading Tyrosh and Myr to accuse Sharako of holding his men back, leading to the Daughter's war and the resolution of the Triarchy. Pg 448

Ulf and Hugh drunk to celebrate their victory. Nettles does not share in the celebration. Addam seeks out Corlys but we do not know why. Pg 450

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Jacaerys: Leads the charge on dragon back.

Aegon the Younger: Blames himself for not saving Viserys.

Corlys: says "if this be victory, I pray I never win another."

Hugh: drinks to celebrate and says "We are knights now, truly." Pg 450

Ulf: drinks to celebrate and says "Fie on that. We should be Lords." Pg 450

Nettles: fought bravely but returned with a soot covered and tear stricken. Pg 450

130 A.C. First Moon 19th Day

Daeron saves Ormound Hightower from defeat during the battle of the honey wine and is knighted by him. Pg 540-1

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Daeron: Gentle and soft-spoken. Modest when named 'Daeron the Daring' saying victory should belong to Tessarion.

130 A.C. After the Battle of the Gullet

Aemond plans to attack the Riverlands with the Lannister army and Criston Cole. Pg 452

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Rhaenyra: Hardened by Jace's death, she wants to rain fire and blood on Aegon II Pg 451

Aemond: wants to act immediately and not wait for Daeron, Aegon, or the Stormlands. Pg 452

Criston and Tyland: Prefer the bold action Pg 452

Orwyle, Jasper, and Alicent: Urge caution and waiting. Pg 452

130 A.C. less than 17 days later

Daemon gets word from 'his friends in Kings Landing' (So Mysaria or someone else) that Aemond is marching on Harrenhal. He sends out a murder of ravens from Harrenhal. Pg 453

Jason Lannister tries to push the crossing at Red Fork but fails thrice and is killed by a squire later knighted as 'Pate 'Lionslayer' of Longleaf. On the fourth attack, led by Lord Adrian Tarbeck, the Westerman attacked by slipping upstream and sneaking behind Lord Vance's line. The Westerman cross the red fork. Pg 453

The Ironborn attack Lannisport, sacking the city, and kidnapping Jason Lannister's Mistress and bastard daughters. Pg 453

Lord Mooton takes the garrison at Rook's rest by surprise and tries to kill Sunfyre only to find him and his guards fit for a fight. Lord Mooton is killed by Sunfyre and his body is found 14 days later but Sunfyre is nowhere to be seen with no trail, suggesting he flew away. Pg 454

Daemon evades Aemond and his host to meet up with Rhaenyra to circle above Kingslanding. Small folks flee the city and riots break out in fleabottom. Pg 454-6

Alicent takes charge during the siege, orders the goldcloaks to the walls, closes the gates of the castle and city, and sends riders to retrieve Aemond. Pg 456

The goldcloaks turn to Daemon, Luthor Largent (most likely the spy for Daemond) kill Gwayne Hightower, and opens the gates to Corlys' men. Pg 456

13 Hightower men hold out in the river gate for almost 8 hours before being overrun, the remaining loyalist fled or bent the knee to Rhaenyra. Pg 457

Daemon, Nettles, Hugh, and Ulf take the city before ensuring its safe for Rhaenyra to enter. Pg 457

Alicent tries to convince Rhaenyra to call a great council, but Rhaenyra says they both know how it would rule (presumably in favor of Aegon even though Rhaenyra has more of an advantage now). Alicent is threatened with fire or yield and surrenders the city to Rhaenyra. Pg 457

Helaena is found locked in her bedroom (perhaps her own doing or for her safety?) and Aegon is not found in his chambers. Aegon and Helaena's kids, Jaehaera and Maelor, also fled with two kingsguards. Alicent does not know or does not tell where they went. Pg 457-9

Rhaenyra takes the iron throne and has everyone in the red keep brought before her to swear loyalty. Eustace says the ceremony lasted through the night and when Rhaenyra rose from the throne, her hands and legs dripped blood. Pg 459

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Daemon: says "Past time" When he learns Aemond is marching to attack.

Gwayn Hightower: tries to signal the alarm when the gold cloaks turn and remain loyal and defiant till his death. Pg 456

Alicent Hightower: Attempts to call a great council after Kingslanding is taken. Even after surrendering, stays defiant.

Rhaenyra: Refuses the great council claiming they know how it would rule.

[aeriondripflame]

targaryens that would ride vermax

1. jace (canon!)

2. elaena targaryen (shrewd. often angry. reckless but in the annoying way where it usually works out.)

3. duncan targaryen (brown-haired. bold. falls in love with jenny à la sara snow.)

[youleavethetardisbrakeson]

Rhaenys is not just the oldest cousin, she's around the same age as an aunt, and an uncle, and older than one aunt and one uncle. By time she's 25 she only has one younger Aunt left. Gaemon dies in the cradle most likely in the same nursery as her, same for Valerion, Viserra dies traumatically when Rhaenys is 13, Gael kills herself over her lost child when Rhaenys has a newborn herself. That's got to leave some very deep marks.

I've gotten so many cousin asks today!

Yes, when Rhaenys says the Stranger has visited her more times than she can count, she means it.

Some book timeline stuff:

Rhaenys was born in 74 AC.

Her uncle Gaemon died at 3 months old in 74 AC.

Her uncle Valerion died just before his first nameday in 78 AC - Rhaenys would've been about 4.

Her aunt Daella died after giving birth to Aemma in 82 AC. Rhaenys was 8.

Her aunt Alyssa, Viserys and Daemon's mother, died in 84 giving birth to her third son Aegon. Rhaenys was 10.

Baby Aegon lasted barely a year and died in 85 AC. Rhaenys was 11.

(Her aunt Saera fled to Lys in 85 AC.)

Her aunt Viserra died of a broken neck at the age of 15 in 87 AC. Rhaenys was 13.

Her father Aemon died in 92 AC. Rhaenys was 18 and pregnant with her first child. Laena was born in late 92 AC, Laenor born in 94 AC.

Her aunt Maegelle died on 96 AC from greyscale. Rhaenys was 22.

Her aunt Gael drowned herself after giving birth to a stillborn bastard son in 99 AC. Rhaenys was 25.

Queen Alysanne died in 100 AC.

Her uncle Baelon died in 101 AC.

King Jaehaerys died in 103 AC. Her uncle Vaegon and aunt Saera were the only children of the 13 to outlive their parents.

And not even to mention her own mother, Aemma and Viserys' lost babies, Aemma, then Laena and her baby, Laenor, Vaemond, and then sweet Lucerys.

That woman has seen SO MUCH DEATH.